Shower shelf

ABSTRACT

A shelf designed to be used in a bathing setting, such as in a shower stall that includes a first section and a second section joined together to from an outer corner with an obtuse angle and an inner corner. The shelf is outfitted with one or more holes, cutouts, prongs, catches, hooks etc. to allow for items to be placed on the shelf or suspended from the shelf. The shelf is meant to be placed on the edges of the containment wall of a shower structure such that one side of the structure is on the edge of a wall that is approximately perpendicular to another side of the containment wall. Bathing articles can be suspended from the shelf, fed through the holes of the shelf or simply placed on top of the shelf.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/208,045 filed on Aug. 21, 2015. The content of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/208,045 filed on Aug. 21, 2015 isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the technical field of shelves and householdstorage devices. More particularly, the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention are directed to the technical field of shelves to beused in a household shower. Even more particularly, the preferredembodiments of the present invention are directed to the field ofshelves designed to reduce clutter in bathing spaces.

(b) Background Art

There has always been a need for storage space in the bathing space ofnearly every home. Most American homes are built with prefabricatedshowers installed in the bathrooms and most of those showers come withsome sort of integrated shelving to hold bathing articles including, butnot limited to soap, shampoo, conditioner, razors, sponges,toothbrushes, body wash, etc. However, storing these articles in or onthe shelving integrated into the shower structure clutters the bathingspace. In addition, the surfaces of integrated shelves are slick whenwet and it is not uncommon for the items stored on these shelves to fallinto the space in which the user is occupying while attempting to bathe.

Not being a new problem, there are a number of solutions to this simpleproblem already in the prior art. One of the more prevalent solutions isthe ubiquitous shower caddy—a device designed as a means of storingbathing articles without utilizing the integrated shelves that areusually present in most showers and baths. Shower caddies generallyconsist of wire structures that are hung from the pipe leading to theshower head. Because most of these pipes are inclined down towards thefloor of the shower, shower caddies do not always hang stably from thepipe leading a number of inventors to develop devices to more stablyseat the caddy on the pipe. Those shower caddies that do not hang fromthe pipe leading to the shower head usually attach to the wall of theshower stall via suction cups. The problem with that configuration isthat the suction cups generally fail to adequately secure the caddy tothe shower wall.

Moreover, there are a number of other drawbacks to the shower caddydevice. For example, there is limited space underneath the showerhead inwhich to store bathing articles and as a result, shower caddies arelimited in size and cannot always accommodate large bottles of shampoo,conditioner or other products. Furthermore, the bathing articles in ashower caddy are still in the bathing space of the user and thus havethe potential to be in the way. In addition, shower caddies tend to bemade of wire or similar material that can rust. Also, such wire caddieshave spaces through which bathing articles like bar soap can slip andescape. Finally, storing shower products so close to the shower headcauses them to be continuously exposed to running water, decreasing theuseful lifetime of certain articles such as bar soap.

As a result, there is a need in the field for a device that allows abather to store bathing products out of the bathing space of the showerwhile the articles remain easily accessible to someone in the bathingspace. While the preferred embodiments of the disclosed device aredescribed as being adapted for use in a bathroom setting, the device isfully capable of functioning in any number of other environments aroundthe house and the office.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment and best mode of the present invention is ashelf designed specifically to be installed and used in the unused spacelocated above head level in most prefabricated showers. Morespecifically, the shelf consists of a substantially flat, rigid panelhaving a first side and a second side that intersect at an obtuse angle.The shape of the device allows a user to place the shower structureitself on the upper edges or flanges of the containment wall of theshower. More specifically, the shelf is placed such that one side restson an upper flange of the shower structure and the other side rests onthe upper flange of the shower structure that is roughly perpendicularto the first flange thereby allowing the shelf to be placed above theuser's head and above the bathing space of the shower when in use.

The angle at which the two sections of the shelf meet to form a corneris an important feature of the shelf. Most, if not all, pre-fabricatedshowers have one or more corners and those corners are almost never atright angles to each other, i.e. they are irregular. As a result, thesides of the shelf disclosed in this application will generally meet atan obtuse angle, i.e. an angle of more than 90 degrees, to accommodatethe irregularity of the corners found in most household showers. In thepreferred embodiment and best mode of the shelf, the two sections of theshelf meet to form an outer corner that has an angle of approximately 92degrees. While the angle can be varied, the inventor of this shelf hasconcluded that an angle of 92 degrees is optimal for most commerciallyavailable shower stalls. Angles that are significantly greater or lessthan 92 degrees can result in a shower shelf that does not seat properlyin the corner of most prefabricated showers.

In addition, when the two section of the shelf meet at such an angle,they form an outer corner and an inner corner. While the corners can besubstantially square, in the preferred embodiment of the present shelf,the corners are rounded as most corners in pre-fabricated showerstructures are also rounded. As a result, a rounded corner facilitatesthe seating of the shelf in the shower stall.

In addition, the two sides of the shelf do not have to be the samelength. In the preferred embodiment, the shelf has one side or sectionthat is shorter than the other. This feature allows the user to placethe shelf in the shower stall with the shorter section or side fittingthe flange of the containment wall above or near the shower head. Inthis configuration, the shorter section or side is placed nearest theshower head so that the shower head itself is not in the way when theuser reaches above head level to place an article on the shelf.

Moreover, the shelf can include a number of holes and/or cutouts toprovide additional storage space for bathing articles. For example, anyitem with a handle, such as a razor or toothbrush, can be placed into ahole in the shelf such that part, but not all of the bathing articlepasses through the hole and thus the shelf retains the bathing articlein an upright position. Similarly, cutouts or partial holes and/or hooksplaced at the edges of the shelf can provide storage space for anyobject that is capable of being hung from the shelf.

An adhesive can be placed on one surface of the shelf to allow it toattach the shelf, either temporarily or permanently, to the showerstall. Doing so also makes the shelf more stable particularly whenarticles are hung near the edges of the shelf and or articles are placednear the free edges of the shelf, i.e., edges that are not in contactwith a portion of the shower structure. The adhesive can be any numberof water-resistant adhesives already known in the prior art. Theadhesives can be applied to the shelf and then covered with contactpaper such that the contact paper can be peeled back, exposing theadhesive covered surface allowing a user to place and secure the shelfin a specific location during installation.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the disclosed shower shelf,the material from which the shelf is made is water resistant in orderfor the shelf to be used in a shower setting. Still further, thematerial from which the shelf is made can also be mildew resistant. Instill another embodiment of the shelf, the material from which the shelfis made is also stain-resistant. A skilled artisan can appreciate that anumber of plastics and polymers, including an acrylic polymer, can beused to construct such a shelf, but in theory any rigid, durable,preferably water-resistant material can be used in the construction ofthe shelf.

It is worth noting that while the inventor has designed this shelf tofunction in a particular setting, i.e. the irregular corner present inmost household bathing spaces, the shelf can be used in any location inwhich each of the two sections can rest on a substantially flat surface.For example, the shelf could be used in corner of a kitchen to holdrecipe books, spices, ingredients and cooking utensils. In addition, ina home or commercial office setting, the shelf could be placed in thecorner of the room to hold office supplies and the like. If a userdesires to keep something near, but off of the floor, for example apet's food and water, then the user can place the shelf on thebaseboards in any room in their home to hold these items. In addition,there are other bathroom related applications such as using the shelf inthe corner of a bathroom vanity. Nothing in this disclosure is meant tolimit the shelf to uses in household bathing spaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the shelfin a shower stall; and

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the shelfin a shower stall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1 there is showna top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the disclosed shelf. Theshower shelf is constructed of a substantially flat, rigid panel 11,with a first section 12 and a second section 13. The first section 12and the second section 13 intersect to form an outer corner 14 and aninner corner 30. In the preferred embodiments of this shelf, the firstsection 12 is longer than second section 13. The panel 11 can includeone or more holes 15 or cutouts 16 to facilitate the storage of bathingarticles. A skilled artisan should be able to appreciate that a varietyof attachment means can be used to attach various articles to the shelfincluding hooks, prongs, pegs, nails, catches, and even hook and loopfasteners.

In further detail, still referring to FIG. 1, the angle of the outercorner 14 at which the first section 12 and the second section 13 cometogether is generally not a right angle. Since most shower stalls do nothave right angles at each corner, the first section 12 and the secondsection 13 will generally come together at an angle to form an outercorner 14 that has an angle of more than 90 degrees. In the preferredembodiments, the angle is within one degree of 92 degrees. In thepreferred embodiment and best mode of the shelf, the outer corner 14 hasan angle of 92.0 degrees and the inner corner 30 has an angle of 90.0degrees.

In further detail, still referring to the invention of FIG. 1, the outercorner 14 is rounded to make it easier to install the shelf into thecorresponding inner corner of a shower structure. In another preferredembodiment, the other corners of the shelf are also rounded to reducethe chances of a user accidentally contacting the edge of the device andpossibly suffering a minor injury.

FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the shower shelf in a shower stall 18.Typically, a shower stall will have at least two containment walls eachwith a flange located at the upper end of each wall. FIG. 2 illustratesa shower stall 18 with a first containment wall 19 and a secondcontainment wall 21 having a first flange 20 and a second flange 22 atthe upper end of each wall respectively. To install the shelf in ashower stall 18, the first section 12 of the panel 11 is placed on thefirst flange 20 of the first containment wall 19. Similarly, the secondsection 13 of the panel 11 is placed on the second flange 22 of thesecond containment wall 21. By doing so, the user will orient the panel11 such that the outer corner 14 fits into a corner of the shower stall18 where the first containment wall 19 and the second containment wall21 meet. If desired, the shower shelf can include an adhesive (notshown) that allows the panel to be secured to the flanges 20 and 22 ofthe containment walls 19 and 21. However, the panel 11 acts todistribute the weight of the articles placed upon it allowing the panel11 stay in place without an adhesive. In addition, in preferredembodiments, the shelf is reversible, i.e., it functions identicallyregardless of which surface is facing upwards.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the shorter second section 13 of the panel 11can be placed on the flange 22 of the containment wall 21 closest to theshower head. Doing so will facilitate placing bathing articles or otherobjects on the shelf above head level, without having to navigate aroundthe shower head. Bathing articles can be placed directly on the rigidpanel 11 or they can be suspended in the holes 15 such that part but notall of the article passes through said holes and the shelf thus supportsthe article. For example, FIG. 3 shows an electric toothbrush 23suspended from a hole 15 in the panel 11. In addition, the cutouts 16can be used in a similar manner. FIG. 3 shows a razor 24 suspended froma cutout 16 located near an edge of the panel 11. In addition, thecutouts 16 can be used as hooks from which to hang certain articles,such as a loofah or a wash cloth. For example, FIG. 3 shows a loofah 25suspended from a protrusion in the panel defined by the cutout 16. Asdiscussed above, other attachment means can be added to the shelf tofacilitate securing bathing articles to or on the shelf including, butnot limited to hooks, prongs, pegs, nails, catches, and even hook andloop fasteners.

The substantially flat rigid panel can be made of any water-resistantmaterial suitable for use in a shower including any number of polymersor plastics including an acrylic polymer. Ideally, the panel 11 isconstructed from a material that is also resistant to mold, mildewand/or stains. In addition, the texture of the panel 11 can be importantin that the panel should be constructed of a material that provides asurface smooth enough for a user to wipe it clean. On the other hand,the panel 11 may not be completely smooth as a rougher surface willprovide additional friction to help hold bathing articles in place onceplaced on the panel 11.

The dimensions of the shelf can be varied according to particularapplications and other needs, including but not limited to shipping andmanufacturing costs. A particular embodiment is approximately 22 incheslong at its longest point and is 9 inches wide at its widest point.Another embodiment of the shelf designed to be used in a bathroom sinksetting is considerable shorter to accommodate the smaller space. Inaddition, the inventor contemplates an embodiment in which the width issubstantially less than 9 inches. Furthermore, to reduce shipping costs,the width of the device need not be uniform in that the edges can bethicker than the central portions of the shelf, thus substantiallydecreasing the weight of the shelf.

In addition, while this disclosure refers to the two sections of theshelf being joined together or meeting to form inner and outer corners,there is no specific need for the first section or the second section tobe made separately and joined together. The sheet of material willgenerally be made of a plastic or polymer that will be produced as onepiece.

Reference throughout the specification to features, advantages, orsimilar language does not imply that all of the features and advantagesthat may be realized with the present invention should be or are in anysingle embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to thefeatures and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature,advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language,throughout the specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to thesame embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

It is understood that the above described embodiments are onlyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Thedescribed embodiment, including the best mode, is to be considered inall respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of theinvention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, if any, inconjunction with the foregoing description.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand andappreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents ofthe specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The inventionshould therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment,method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within thescope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A shelf for use in an irregular inner corner comprising: asubstantially flat piece of material having a first section and a secondsection, wherein the first section and the second section are joinedtogether to form an outer corner having an obtuse angle.
 2. The shelf inclaim 1 wherein the obtuse angle is 92.0 degrees.
 3. The shelf of claim1 wherein the obtuse angle is equal to or between 91.0 degrees and 93.0degrees.
 4. The shelf in claim 1 wherein the outer corner is rounded. 5.The shelf in claim 2 wherein the outer corner is rounded.
 6. The shelfin claim 3 wherein the outer corner is rounded.
 7. The shelf in claim 1wherein the first section and the second section are joined together toform an inner corner having a right angle.
 8. The shelf in claim 2wherein the first section and the second section are joined together toform an inner corner coming together at a right angle.
 9. The shelf inclaim 3 wherein the first section and the second section are joinedtogether to form an inner corner coming together at a right angle.
 10. Ashelf for use in an irregular inner corner comprising: a substantiallyflat piece of water-resistant material having a first section and asecond section; wherein the first section and the second section arejoined together to form an inner corner having a right angle and anouter corner having an obtuse angle; wherein the inner and outer cornersare rounded; and wherein at least one of the sections features at leastone cutout.
 11. A shelf for use in a prefabricated shower having anirregular corner comprising: a substantially flat piece of materialhaving a first section and a second section wherein the first sectionand the second section are joined together to form an outer and an innercorner, wherein the outer corner has an obtuse angle.
 12. The shelf inclaim 11 wherein the obtuse angle is 92.0 degrees.
 13. The shelf ofclaim 11 wherein the obtuse angle is equal to or between 91.0 degreesand 93.0 degrees.
 14. The shelf in claim 11 wherein the outer corner isrounded.
 15. The shelf in claim 12 wherein the outer corner is rounded.16. The shelf in claim 13 wherein the outer corner is rounded.
 17. Theshelf in claim 11 wherein the inner corner has a right angle.
 18. Theshelf in claim 12 wherein the inner corner has a right angle.
 19. Theshelf in claim 13 wherein the inner corner has a right angle.